Electric-railway supply system



(No Model 7 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.' I. .J; GREEN. ELECTRIC RAILWAY SUPPLY SYSTEM.

Patented Dec. 4,4894.

ATTOR N EY5 (No Model.) v 2 Sheets-Sheet' 2Q J.J.GREEN.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY SUPPLY SYSTEM.

No. 530,482. Patented Dec. 4, 1894.

ATTORNEYS NITED STATES P TENT JOHN JAY GREEN, OF BOONTCSN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNIVER- SAL ELECTRIC COMPANY OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC-RAILWAY SUPPLY SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 530,482, dated December 4, 1894.

Application filed August 21, 1893-l Serialll'o. 483,620. (No modelJ the car runs in a conduit between the tracks and effects the completion of the circuit through the motor on the car by acting upon contact devices arranged within the conduit. Heretofore it has been proposed to place within the conduit at suitable intervals closed boxes within which the contactor contacts for eitecting a completion of the circuit are placed, such contacts being controlled. or operated by a projectingswitch arm acted upon by the collector or contact shoe on the car.

The object of my invention is toimprove theconstruction of such contact boxes and the manner in which the circuit is completed therein by the actuation of the switch arms by the collector or brush. To this end I have devised a new construction of box and an improved insulation of the conducting parts therein, all of which is hereinafter described in detail. I havealso arranged the switch 0 arms so that they are always actuated in such a way as to close thecontacts in the. box in the same direction, whichever way the car is moving, and I am therefore enabled to reverse the direction of motion of the car without 5 opening the circuit within the box. This mode of operation, so far as I amaware is new in apparatus of this class. I accomplish this result in the particular organization shown by arranging the projecting switch 40 arm so that it normally extends from the switch box obliquely with reference to the center line or slot of the conduit, the construction and arrangement being such that the passing contact shoe will always move it in 4 5 the same direction whichever Way the shoe is moving. I prefer that the end or head of the switch arm shall be curved or rounded and that the ends or points of the collector or shoe 7 shall be tapered, rounded or wedge shaped so that there is no liability of the switch arm catching or hanging upon the shoe as the shoe approaches it from the direction in which the arm points.

My invention may doubtless be embodied in many forms of apparatus of this character varying more or less in details of construction. I have, however, constructed it in a practical and efficient form which is the best now known to me and which Ihave illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- .Figure 1 is a plan View showing the Wall of the conduit in sectio'n and the box mounted thereon; Fig. 2, a vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view through the box, showing also the manner of mounting it upon the wall of the conduitand the manner of connecting the contact therein with the main conductorof the circuit; Fig. 4, a detail longitudinal section through the box showing in dotted lines the porcelaininsulat- 7o ing block belonging thereinand indicating the manner in which it may be inserted. Fig. 5

is a detail view of the coupling through which T conduit, and which brackets also serve as supports for the main conductor B that is shown as insulated and covered with a lead or other sheath. It is desirable that a box of this character should occupy as small a portion as possible of the diameter or width of the con- 0 eral movement.

position by the bolt 0 as already described.

tion or otherwise, I make the bottom solid except that one or more perforations 0 may be placed therein at one end. Its exterior walls are shaped to conform to the interior of the box in which it closely fits. At one end this porcelain cup is provided upon the bottom with a hub c that is seated in a corresponding depression in the bottom of the box. At the other end it is supported in a horizontal position by a bolt 0 that passes through it and a flange, lug or projection c on the inner wall of the box. The box at this end is preferably formed with a depression well or enlargement A in its bottom as a receptacle for moisture that may collect if the box is not filled with some suitable fluid insulation.

The top of the box is provided with two openings D E surrounded by screw threaded hubs or flanges for the reception of suitable closing caps. The porcelain piece G being relatively narrow may be inserted into the box through the opening D,the depression A in the bottom of the box permitting the desired angularity of movement to effect the insertion. Since the part G then fits closely within the walls of the box and rests upon the bottom thereof at one end, it is supported against lat- It' is held in a horizontal The opening D is closed by a flanged plug or cover D of vulcanite, porcelain or other insulating material that is forced down tightly by a screw threaded ring D a suitable packing washer or gasket being interposed between the flange and the face of the hub surrounding the opening. To prevent the rotation of the cover, a notch 61 is formed in the edge thereof in which a lug on the wall of the opening lies (Fig. 1). The shaft F of the switch arm passes through the cover D being provided with a suitable packing box F and gasket to insure hermetically closed joints. The lower end of the shaft has its bearing in a metal cupflying in a recess in the bottom of the porcelain insulating piece 0.

A metal block G is secured to the shaft within the porcelain cup and carries a split metal spring contact arm or plate H, preferably relatively long and projecting quite to the opposite end of the interior of the porcelain block. A plate spring g attached to the block G bears upon one wall of the porcelain piece and tends normally to maintain the shaft in such position that the contact spring H is against one of the inner walls of the porcelain piece. Movement in this direction under the pressure exerted by the spring is positively limited by the abutment of the metal block G against the wall of the porcelain piece. In the opposite wall thereof and opposite the end portion of the contact spring a contact piece or block I is seated in a notch or recess in the wall of the porcelain block. At this point there is an opening in the wall of the box A through which the conductorK leading from the main conductor is led.

The conductor K is bolted to the contact piece I, that is it passes into an opening therein and is rigidly secured by one or more set screws as shown. The opposite end of the conductor K is screwed into or otherwise connected with a sleeve K enveloping the main conductorand brazed or soldered thereto. The break in the insulation of the main conductor made to form this joint is filled with insulating material and the conductor K is also surrounded by insulating material lying within the coupling piece L which is screwed into the opening in the wall of the box, the joint being brazed, soldered or packed in any suitable manner.

The coupling piece is formed with a relatively thin and wide extension L in the bend of which the main conductor lies. This extension is bent around the armor or lead cover of the main conductor and is preferably soldered thereto at the edges. The end of the extension has a curved or semi-circular recess therein that fits over the hub of the coupling L and is also soldered thereto. I am thus enabled to obtain a hermetically closed joint, and one that may readily be made within the limited space of an underground conduit. The outer end of the shaft F is squared and carries the switch arm M. the hub of which is preferably provided with an outwardly flaring flange at the bottom that overhangs the packing box surrounding the shaft and serves to deflect dirt, snow and water. The arm projects normallyiu an oblique direction toward the center line or slot of the conduit andis preferably curved at theend substantiallyasshown. Theopening E may be closed by a screw cap as shown. It is located immediately above the contact piece Iand affords a ready means of access to this part of the apparatus, and oil to fill the boxes may be introduced through it.

In the diagram Fig. 7 I have indicated a generator and two insulated leads extending therefrom and. supported upon opposite walls of the conduit by the brackets B', and a series of contact boxes also arranged on the opposite walls. The contact shoe which may be of any suitable construction is marked S on the diagram On each side it is provided with a contact plate 3 supported by insulation carried by a center bar 3' which isalso preferably of insulating material. At both ends of the plates the insulating material is shown extending beyond them and as chamfered or beveled down to the center bar which projects beyond the insulation and is supported by hangers T that depend from the car and run in the ordinary open slot of the conduit, which, however, is not shown in the drawings.

U indicates the motor on the car, the two terminals of which are connected with the contact plates 5, s.

It will be obvious that the switch arms of the boxes will be moved inwardly by the contact shoe when the shoe approaches them in so that a proper margin for the operation of the switch arm by the shoe is allowed. For this reason I have preferred to make the con tact box relatively long as indicated in the drawings. The box, however, might be relatively shorter and contacts of other character might be employed therein the proper margin for their operation being insured by the relative thickness of the contact shoe and extent of projection of the switch arms toward the center or slot line of the conduit.

In the construction of this box I have sought to make the number of parts few; to provide a perfect and enduring insulation; to make fewjoints; to lead inthe circuit conductor in such a way as to maintain the integrity of the insulation;and to occupy only a small space within the conduit.

It will be observed that the switch arm is normally held at the extremity of its outward movement in the path of the traveling shoethat is to say, in its normalposition, the outer end of the switch arm is held against further movement toward the axial lines of the conduit or across a line passing transversely through the conduit and the axis of the pivot of the arm. The arm is held obliquely at such an inclination that the shoe when it comes in contact with it always moves it inwardly in the same direction whichever way the shoe is moving.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination of aclosed contact box, the rock-shaft extending through packing thereinto, and controlling a contact that closes the circuit in the box,a traveling shoeor collector and a switch arm outside the boxnormally held in the path of theshoe, at the extremity of its outward movement and moved by the shoe and actuating the shaft, said arm being arranged obliquely with reference to the line of travel of the shoe, whereby the shoe moves the switch arm in the same direction when the shoe is moved in either direction.

2. The combination with a traveling shoe or collector having a side contact surface, of closed contact boxes, a vertical rock-shaft extending through packing into each box and controlling a contact that closes the circuit in the box, and an obliquely arranged switch arm outside the box having its end normally arranged in the path of the shoeso as to be moved by the shoe in the same direction when the shoe is moved in either direction and means for holdingthe switch arm against a movement across a line passing transversely through the conduit and the axis of the pivot of the arm.

3. The combination with an electric conduit, of a series of closed contact boxes, contact devices arranged within the boxes, and switch arms outside the box for operating the contact devices, arranged obliquely with ref- ,erence to the line of travel of the shoe or cur- :rent collector in'the conduit, and normally held by springs to hold their outer ends at the extremity of their outward movement and in the path of the shoe as it moves through the conduit. I i

4. The combination of a closed contact box, a rock-shaft extend-ing through packing thereinto, and controlling a contact that closes the circuit of the box, a traveling shoe or collector having a vertical side contact face, and a switch arm outside the box having a curved or rounded end held normally at the extremity of its outward movementand in the path of the shoe in the conduit, and adapted to be moved by the shoe to actuate the shaft, said switch arm being arranged obliquely with reftion.

'5. The combination of a traveling contact shoe, a closed contact box, a rock shaft extending through packing therein, contact devices inclosed within'the box and operated by the rock shaft, a switch arm outside the box secured to the rock-shaft and extending therefrom obliquely with reference to the plane of the shoe or the axial line ofthe conduit, and

means for normally'holding the switch arm at the extremity of its outward movement toward the shoe.

6. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the contact box having lugs B thereon, the brackets B to which they are bolted,

the mainconductor supported by the brack-' ets, the hollow coupling L secured inan opening in the wall of the box and having the extension L, and the branch conductor passing from the main conductor through the couparound the main conductor and secured to the sheath thereof and to the part L of the coupling.

7. The combination, substantially as set forth ofthe contact'box having an aperture therein, a hollow coupling secured in the aperture and having an extension piece (L), the main conductor insulated and provided with a metal sheath or armor, thebranch therefrom passing into the box through the hollow coupling and insulation surrounding,

contact on the inner wall of the insulating piece against which the first named contact works and means for operating the shaft from the exterior of the box to close said contacts.

9. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the elongated box or casing having the opening D in the top, thecorrespondingly shaped insulator piece adapted to be inserted into the box through said opening, and resting on the bottom of the box atone end and supported above the bottom at the other end, and the contact devices located within the insulating piece and controlled from the exterior of the box.

10. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the contact box or casing, a hollow detachable insulator piece arranged therein, an insulated rock shaft extending to the box and carrying a contact plate or piece lying within the insulator piece a switch arm carried by the outer end of the shaft and adapted to be operated by a moving shoe or-current collector, and another contact piece located within the insulator piece and connected with the main circuit or conductor.

11. The combination, substantially as set forth of the box or casing, having the opening D, the hollow insulator piece lying within the box, the rock shaft passing through an insulated packing box in the cover of said opening, the contact plate or piece H carried by the shaft and lying within the porcelain insulator, a contact piece or block arranged also in the porcelain insulator and connected with the main circuit or conductor a switch arm connected with the outer end of the shaft, and a shoe or current collector adapted to operate the switch arm to close the normally separated contacts within the box.

12. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the box or casing, the cup-shaped insulator piece arranged therein and. having a recess in the bottom thereof, a metal bushing in said recess, the insulated rock shaft extending into the box andseated in said bushing, the contact plate or piece H carried by the rock shaft, the contact I, a spring that holds the two contacts normally separated and the projecting switch arm on the outer end of the shaft.

13. The combination, substantially as set the plate contact spring carried by the shaft within the insulator, a contact I, the spring g and a switch arm on the outer end of the shaft.

14. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the elongated contact box or casing, an insulated rock shaft extending thereinto and carrying or controlling an elongated spring contact plate electrically connected with the shaft, but otherwise insulated, an insulated contact within the box against which the spring contact works, a spring that normally holds the shaft in such position as to separate said contacts, and a switch arm on the outer end of the shaft adapted to be actuated in the same direction by a traveling shoe or current collector moving in either direction.

15. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the elongated contact box or casing, an insulated rock shaft extending thereinto and carrying or controlling an elongated spring contact plate electrically connected with the shaft, but otherwise insulated, an insulated contact Within the box against which the spring contact works, a spring that normally holds the shaft in such position as to separate said contacts, a slotted conduit in V which the box is located, a switch arm on the outer. end of the shaft projecting obliquely toward the center or slot line of the conduit, and a shoe or current collector carried by a car and traveling in the conduit and adapted to strike the switch arm and move it in the same direction whichever Way the shoe is traveling.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

JOHN JAY GREEN. Witnesses:

FRANK S. OBER, EDWARD O. DAVIDSON. 

